Abilis To Hold Support Workshop for Parents With Children With Disabilities

Abilis, the Greenwich agency that provides support services to people with disabilities, is sponsoring a series of Adult Services Committee Workshops for parents raising children who will need supports and services beyond high school.

On Wednesday, Jan. 7, Abilis will host a workshop on ‘Housing Challenges and Opportunities,’ that will focus on available options and steps to prepare for the transition. The DDS West Region Resource Management staff — Carla Beattie, Denise Paladino and Sherri Knightly — will discuss “ When to start? Where to go? Who will pay?”

To read about some of the services offered by Abilis, here is the story of Susie Figgie and her brother Harry. When the Figgie family’s matriarch passed away several years ago leaving Susie, Harry and their sister Katie orphaned, Harry worried what would become of Susie, who was born with Down Syndrome.

Harry learned of Abilis’ services for families in Westchester and Fairfield counties and soon Susie became a client. She now resides in a group home and works with Abilis Employment Services where she is a presence in the Abilis Gifts shop on Glenville Street. Like many Abilis clients, she regularly creates artwork that’s sold as notecards and in framed editions.

(To view Harry and Susie’s story, click here.)

The housing workshop will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Jan. 7 in the Cone Room of Greenwich Town Hall, 101 Field Point Rd.

For more information and to RSVP, contact:
 Jess Harrington at harrington@abilis.us or call 203–531–1880, ext. 120.

Contributed photo: Susie Figgie via Abilis.